Alone Again
by Skwiz
Summary: This short story is based on the idea of what if Kaneki left Touka differently before leaving with aogiri tree. Sorry for any errors hope you like it - Skwiz
As Kaneki was walking away Touka couldn't believe what she just heard, that he isn't going back to Anteiku. With each step Touka saw Kaneki take it tore at her heart more and more at the fact he was turning his back on Anteiku and everyone there who helped him understand and cope with being a ghoul. Touka couldn't watch anymore, she ran with what little energy left she could muster towards Kaneki, stumbling every now and again and not able to keep up with Kaneki. Touka couldn't speak, her throat felt as if something were lodged in it.

'He really is leaving isn't he?' Touka thought to herself as she stopped, out of energy Touka collapsed to the ground and looked at the ground in defeat.

Kaneki with his sharp hearing turned and noticed Touka on her knees on the ground and stopped walking. Kaneki debated to himself if he should go back to her, Kaneki quietly walked towards Touka. Unnoticed by Touka, Kaneki crouches down in front of Touka and lifts up Touka's chin with his right hand and notices Touka's eyes are tearing up. Kaneki couldn't help but feel sorry about the choice he has made.

'...Don't leave me alone...' Touka whispered to Kaneki. Kaneki watched a single tear run down her cheek feeling terrible despite not showing it. Kaneki wiped away the stray tear from Touka's cheek.

'Touka...don't cry, I have to do this, to understand...to protect Anteiku...to protect you Touka' Kaneki said quietly. Touka wrapped both of her arms around Kaneki.

'Please come back to Anteiku' Touka pleaded. Kaneki looked down underestimating how hard this would be, before looking back to Touka.

'One day, I will come back to Anteiku...when the 20th ward is safer for those at Anteiku' Kaneki said as he brushed away Touka's bangs off her face seeing both of her eyes forming tears.

'...You're too pretty to cry.' Kaneki whispered as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Touka, frozen by Kaneki's actions didn't move or say anything. Kaneki pulled away and looked into Touka's widened eyes

'It's time for me to go...' Kaneki said in a quiet voice while standing up and starting to walk away in the direction he was walking away in before.

'Why leave me to protect me?' Touka asked herself as she was on her knees watching Kaneki fade away off into the haze in front of them.

'I don't understand' Touka whispered to herself looking down to the ground noticing a tear fall to the ground.

'What does he need to understand? Touka thought to herself while wiping her tear away.

'I have been left alone by everyone, I had you...and you left, I don't want you to leave, because then I'll be alone again' Touka whispered to herself as she lost sight of Kaneki.

Touka heard footsteps behind her and slowly turned to see that it was Hinami.

'I saw you talking to big brother, why did he walk off? Hinami asked quietly.

'I dont know...but he's not coming back to Anteiku with us.' Touka said quietly. Hinami wrapped her arms around Touka to comfort her.

'I'm sorry big sister, i know he will be back though, we are his family' Hinami said confidently.

'Hinami...promise me you will never leave me' Touka whispered while staring at Hinami.

'I promise big sister' Hinami said gently while they both stared into the haze Kaneki walked into.

Kaneki felt his feet stop where they were as he looked down, with his thoughts racing realizing how hard it was to leave and turn his back on Anteiku, his friends, and Touka. Kaneki bit his lip slightly at the thought of turning his back on Touka and abandoning her.

'I wonder if she will grow to hate me, I left her so suddenly, after everything I put them through...' Kaneki thought to himself as he looked down feeling guilt for his actions.

'I have to understand who Rize was, I have a better chance of learning more about her away from Anteiku, I hope Touka can forgive me...' Kaneki began to feel his stomach turning, he knew it would be hard to leave and was feeling the effects of going through with it. Kaneki turned to look behind him thinking back to Touka, imagining going back to see her again but knowing he can't.

'I wonder if showing her my love will comfort her any while I'm gone or if it will turn into anger and hatred for me leaving her...I can't get my hopes up, this is the choice I've made to protect her, I am a threat to those around me, I'm a target.' Kaneki thought to himself. Kaneki turned back to the path he was walking towards remembering his mission. As Kaneki continued through the haze is started to clear up and Kaneki could see the members of Aogiri ahead of him. Kaneki's focused ahead to the members ahead of him approaching them, knowing it was too late to turn back, knowing he couldn't make his actions of turning his back on everything in vain.

'I have to learn the importance of Rize and what threats might be in my way should someone come seeking Rize or her whereabouts. I was naive not considering the significance of my situation, I have to protect Touka and everyone else at Anteiku, I wont risk losing those I care about.' Kaneki thought to himself as Kaneki stopped walking to look back to the haze he came walked through. Once more thinking back to the time he spent with Touka 'Was the cost worth it though? Now I'm alone.' Kaneki Whispered to himself.

Thanks for reading - Skwiz

A/N - Hey everyone who read this far, hope you guys liked this one, I have some mixed feelings about this one. I like certain things about this story and dont like certain things about this story, I may in the future come back to this story and redo it once im better at writing. This was kind of an experiment to get kind of an idea of how I might try to write stories that might contain love interest etc. Either way I hope you guys like it thanks for your time and I hope you have a good day/night. - Skwiz

(Updated June 23rd 2016) A/N - Hey guys, I have decided to fix some mistakes that I had in the story and change a few parts the story is still mostly the same I just added a few details in between that hopefully improve the story. I know this isn't my newest story and that I have other stories I should be working on, but however since I have gotten back from my vacation I have found it very hard to get back into writing so I thought fixing mistakes in older stories might get things going for me again. I hope you guys understand. I hope you like the changes I've made to the story or at the least don't hate them. Once again thanks everyone for reading and I hope to see you guys in other stories hopefully new ones! - Skwiz


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